Have any of you guys taken your old heavy steel driveshafts off and installed an aluminum one. I want to do this to my 2.8 V6 but I was not to sure about how to do it. If I was to go to a junk yard what would I tell them I was looking for. Like any specific year firebird or camaro?Also what is a reasonable price for an aluminum shaft?

Please help!

Jason

 

LS1 driveshafts are aluminum

 

I think a lot of the 4th gen v8 driveshafts are aluminum. Take a magnet with you, if it don't stick to the driveshaft then it's the one for you.

"-drive shaft (most 4th gens had aluminum) Im not sure if the v6 ones will work??"

 

4th gen v6 shafts are steel and have a center joint.

4thgen LS1 is 11lbs
3rd gen v6 steel 12lbs
3rdgen v8 alum 14.x+

I've looked into it, IMO not worth the money and effort *shrugs*

 

that 4th gen you looked at, was it a real new one like a 94 - 95ish? I read something about the later ones have a balancer or something on'em.

 

if you really want one that is gonna make a difference you need to go CF but its cost big time.

could though find a local driveshaft shop and have them build you one lighter. Stock steel one isn't teriable heavy, but probably a tad over sized for the power out put. keep the same size U-joints but run smaller, lighter tube.

 

LS1=98-2002 with balancer.

 

I'm going to go aluminum, because it IS lighter, and the fact that mine is out of balance anyway. The aluminum one should be much smoother

 

CF shaft is 4 lbs. Well worth the money for lightweight rotation mass, unsprung weight, and overall eliminating vibrations that rob HP. It is smooth as silk at very high speeds.

 

holy mother..... that is a sick looking setup you've got there sixtyV6.... all that effort... do you autoX or somthing?

 

yah, hes probably one of the best autoxers here(regularly posting at least).

 

that's Dean... I'm sure you've seen all of his stuff before you may have just not realized who he is on this username.

 

Some pre-97 LT1 6 speed cars got the aluminum driveshaft under warranty (there was a TSB on it, and the fix was the 1LE aluminum driveshaft...the third gen driveshaft), and by 98 all the six speed cars had the lighter aluminum version. No automatic V8 cars or any 6 cylinder car came with it. If you have lower rearend gears and get a light vibration at certain speeds, then the aluminum shaft will likely smooth things out. Otherwise, its not worth much, if anything, over the stock shaft.

 

I have an 89 or 91 (i forget) steel w/balancer. THe v6 4th gens did come w/the 2peice shafts, sho you might be able to sell you old one to one of themn "cheap" to make up for whatever the soda can shaft costs. Also, I remember seeing the cost of one ofthose CF ds before, around $800 iirc.

 

you can get the CF ones around $600. not like that makes it a whole lot better... lol

 

do you get a discount if you provide your own carbon???

easy and fun to make. awful messy.

 

only $600 now? where do I sign up!!!

 

yeah, really. i want one but it'll probably be a while before i can dish out that much for one. but, that's what they run on BMR's website.